Controller for mechanical musical instruments.



No. 692,968. Patented Fab. ll, I902.

F. LYOUNG. CUNTROLLEB FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL'INSTRUMENTS.

(Application filed Nov. '15. 1901.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES; v v v lNVENTOR 1 H16 ATTORNEYS UN TED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

FRANCIS LINCOLN YOUNG, OF-LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIANCOMPANY, OFNEIV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF CON- NEOTIOUT.

CONTROLLER FOR vMEG-r-lANlCAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,968, dated February1 1, 1902.

' 7 Application filed November 16, 1901; Serial No. 82,393. (No model.)

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to providea 7 controller of a mechanismcomprisedin a mechanical musical instrument with a device which may bemoved to'follow a line marked on a perforated music-sheet whichindicates different effects to be produced in playing.

I will describe a mechanical musical instrument embodying myinvention,and then point out the novel features thereof-in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsjigure l is a front elevational view of amechanical musical instrument embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is atransversesectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail View of a portion of aperforated musicsheet having lines marked thereon which indicate efiectsto be produced in the playing of the musical composition. 1

Similar letters of reference designate correspondingparts in allthe'figures.

A represents a portion of a mechanical musical instrument. Themechanical musical instrument here shown is in the form ofa pianola. .Asthis form of instrument is well known to those skilled in the art,itwill not be described in detail.

A represents a tracker-board; A a perforated music-sheet, which ismovable over the tracker-board and controls the operation of thepneumatics, and a the usual spool on which the music-sheet is wound fromoff the spool a.

B B B represent controllers, each of which is here shown as being in theform of a lever, and which controllers are provided at thefront of themusical instrument. The controllerB is for operating mechanism to movethe loud or forte pedal. The controller B is for operating a mechanismwhich controls the high and low tension winds for obtaining differencesin expression, and the lever B is for controlling the tempo mechanism,which, as is well known, controls the speed of the music-sheet in itspassage over the tracker-board.

19 represents the usual tempo-scale employed in connection with thecontroller B The perforated music-sheet A is here shown as beingprovided with two lines a a one of which, a is made up of dots. The linea indicates the expression to be given in the playing of the musicalcomposition cut in a musicsheet," while the line a indicates the tempoof the musical composition. A- third line may be'provided which wouldindicate the times at which the pedal should be operated.

C represents a device (here shown as being in the form of an arm) whichis adapted to be carried by or connected with either of the controllersB B B If desired, a separate device C may be provided for eachcontroller or for two of the controllers. The arm C is here shown asbeing hinged, pivoted,'or otherwise secured at one of its ends to acontroller, and it is' 'of such a length as to have its end 0 extendapproximately over the trackerboard. The end 0 is sharpened or pointedin order that the line marked on the music-sheet indicating the effectsto be produced maybe more easily followed. The arm is preferably hingedto the controller in order that it may be moved out of the way when amusic-sheet is to be placed in position in the instrument, and it isprovided with a finger-piece c in order that the controller and thefollower may be easily moved.

It is obvious that by having the device 0 follow the line marked on themusic-sheet which indicates eifects to be obtained in playing acorresponding movement will be had of the controller and the mechanismof the controller affected accordingly.

I intend to cover generically by my claims the combinations specified bythem, including, among other things, a line to indicate any and alleffects to be produced-as, for example, a line to indicate theapplication of the forte-pedal, another line to indicate the applicationof the expression instrumentalities, and another line to indicate speedor combination of a'pcrforated music-sheet hav- 10o iug marked thereon,a line which indicates effects to be produced in playing, and acontroller, by which such effects are governed, extending over themusic-sheet and capable of adjustment by the operator to follow saidline, substantially as described.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument the combination of a perforatedmusic-sheet havsheet may be made to correspond to that indicated by thetempo-line.

4. The combination in a mechanical inusical instrument, of a perforatedmusic-sheet having a tempo-line, means for moving said sheet over thetracker-board, and the tempo mechanism of the instrument comprising acontroller-lever extending over the musicsheet and capable of adjustmentby the operator to follow the tempo-line, whereby the speed of themusic-sheet may be made to correspond to that indicated by thetempo-line.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS LINCOLN YOUNG.

\Vitnesses:

H. D. J AMESON, A. NUTTING.

